Colostomy dressing



F. B. AUSTIN COLOSTOMY DRESSING Filed Dec.

July 28, 1959 INVENTOR fiZ/vN/Z 5 flusr/kv NEY United StatesPatent 2,896,625 COLOSTOMY DRESSING Fannie B. Austin, Silver Spring, Md. Application December 18, 1956, Serial No. 629,168 6 Claims. (Cl. 128-283) This invention relates to surgical dressings and more particularly and specifically to colostomy appliances in the nature of quick applicable dressings.

Prior colostomy dressings, pads and the likehave in- .cluded in combination with heavy absorbent. pads, retaining means such as belts, elastic straps and the like which have encircled the patients body for the purpose of retaining or holding the pads in place over the colostomy opening. It has been discovered that these belts and straps are extremely uncomfortable and ineffective in maintaining the dressings in place, and generally unsatisfactory in use in the light of the continuous necessity of the patient wearing a dressing or appliance to protect the colostomy.

It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a new and improved colostomy dressing which eliminates the failings and undesirable features inherent in prior dressings and appliances of a like nature and function.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved colostomy dressing which provides a lightweight, compact and comfortably worn dressing.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a new and improved dressingfor use in conjunction with a colostomy which dressing will stay in place under substantially all conditions without the necessity of retaining belts, straps and other cumbersome appliances.

Still a further object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved colostomy dressing which completely and efiiciently performs all of the protective and sanitary functions required of a dressing for colostomy use. it

Yet another object is the provision of a new and improved colostomy dressing which is provided in the form of a sealed, sterile packaged dressing which is extremely quick and easy of application and use.

Yet another object of the present invention rests in the provision of a dressing for use with a colostomy which is of a construction and materials such as to make it readily disposable. v

Still a further object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved colostomy dressing which is ex tremely simple and inexpensive in design and manufacture and which may be manufactured at a cost which makes the disposable character of the dressing completely practical and economical.

Still further and additional objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description is read in the light of the accompanying drawings.

The nature of the present invention may be stated in general terms as relating to a colostomy dressing which consists of a wet medicament pad for direct application to the colostomy which is backed by a multi-layer absorbent wadding of cellulose material, a sheet of water repellent fabric backing said absorbent wadding and providing an extended marginal edge peripherally about the wadding; wherein the dressing is provided in a'folded con 2,896,625 Patented July 28, 19 59 dition half upon itself with the juxtaposed marginal edges of the water repellent backing being secured by a quick removable fastening means providing a sterile, sealed, quick opening package for the dressing.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a pictorial view illustrating the dressing constituting the present invention in applied condition.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the dressing constituting the present invention.

Fig. 3 is an exploded elevational view of the dressing.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the dressing in packaged con dition.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55, Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the colostomy dressing, generally designated at 10, constituting the present invention is of a pad type which, as seen in Fig. l, is applied directly to the colostomy opening where it is worn-in such a manner as to surround and cover the colostomy opening to maintain it in a sanitary, protected condition.

The pad dressing constituting the present invention is shown in a generally circular configuration, although it is fully contemplated that various configurations of the dressing may be utilized without departing from the intended scope and structure of this invention. The dressing consists of a circular pad of extremely soft and fine gauge gauze 12 of several layers thickness which is provided on one face with a wet medicament material 14 such as petroleum jelly or the like.

Backing up the gauze pad 12 on the face thereof remote to the wet medicament application and positioned concentrically with said pad is a circular pad 16 of substantially greater diameter than the gauze pad 12 which consists of a plurality of layers of an absorbent material such as cellulose similar in character to the fibrous materials currently used in disposable diaper pads and the like.

Lastly, a sheet of water repellent material of a plastic or latex base type is provided in juxtaposition to that face of the circular absorbent pad 16 remote to the gauge pad 12 as a backing sheet for the dressing. The fabric sheet 18 is of circular configuration having a diameter greater than that of the absorbent material pad 16 and positioned concentrically relative thereto so as to provide a marginal edge face portion 20 of the fabric backing disposed on the dressing side of the sheet completely thereabout.

In application of the dressing in the manner pictured in Fig. l of the drawings the gauze pad 12 with the wet medicament thereon is placed against the colostomy opening in such a manner as to completely cover the opening in a substantially airtight, sanitary condition With the wet medicament thereon in direct contact with the colostomy. When so applied the dressing provides a highly absorbent wadding or pad in backing condition'to the gauze forthe purpose of absorbing fluid and other exudates of the colostomy.

It is particularly important to note that there is a twofold function of the fabric, water repellent backing 18 in the application of the dressing to the colostomy. First,

. tionally under-garments worn by the patientwill, through dressing against wetting and stain from the liquids and materials absorbed by the absorbent wadding or pad 16 and at the same time the marginal edge face portion 20 about the absorbent pad disposed toward the body con tacts the skin peripherally about the colostomy and by reason of the character of the plastic or like fabric material it will statically adhere to the skin serving to substantially circumferentially seal the dressing and through its adherence to the skin to retain the dressing in place without the necessity of ancillary belts or straps. Additheir contactwith the backing sheet, tend to retain the colostomy dressing in place. This latter condition is, of course, even more predominate in the case of patients wearing compressors or other like retaining garments.

As seen in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, it is an object of this invetnion to provide a surgical dressing such as has been heretofore described in packaged form which object is attained in the present case by assembly of the dressing in the manner described and then by folding the dressing in half upon itself (dotted lines, Fig. 5) to bring one half of the face of the marginal edge portion of the fabric backing is in juxtaposition with the other half portion and sealing the two faces peripherally about the resultant structure as at 2:2 to provide a sealed, sterile package in which the dressing is completely contained. It is additionally contemplated that a quick opening device such as a tear thread 24 embedded in the adhered marginal edges peripherally about the package be incorporated in the structure to facilitate quick opening of the sealed container formed by the enclosed backing sheet 18 of the dressing.

In the drawings and for the purpose of illustration the tear thread opening device 24 is disclosed in the form of a chain stitch'starting centrally of the marginal sealed edges and extending in each direction therefrom through the remote edge or end of the adhered faces with short threads being freely exposed at each end for the purpose of pulling the threads from the package to free the juxtaposed marginal faces. It is of course contemplated that commonly known tear strings or fused plastic pull tabs could be used with equal facility for the purpose of closing the package and providing a quick opening device therefor.

Thus from the foregoing description it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the hereinbefore objects and advantages are satisfied and obtained by the structures disclosed. It is contemplated that variations and modifications may be made in the embodiments of the invention described which are illustrations and not limitations and that the scope of this invention is to be determined only by the hereinafter appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A colostomy dressing consisting of a wet medicament pad backed by and marginally overlaid by a multilayer cellulose wadding, a sheet of water repellent fabric in juxtaposition with that face of wadding opposite the wet pad, and said fabric sheet having an extended marginal edge peripherally about the wadding.

2. A colostomy dressing consisting of a pad of fine mesh gauze impregnated with a Wet medicament, a second pad consisting of a multiple of layers of absorbent wadding, and a water repellent sheet having an extended marginal edge peripherally about the second pad.

3. A dressing structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said first pad is located substantially concentrically relative to the second pad, and said second pad is located substantially concentrically relative to said water repellent sheet.

4. A quick applicable colostomy dressing consisting of a wet medicament pad backed by a multi-layer cellulose wadding, a sheet of water repellent fabric in juxtaposition with that face of wadding opposite the wet pad, said fabric sheet having an extended marginal edge peripherally about the wadding, said dressing being folded in half upon itself to bring the extended marginal edges on one half of the fabric sheet in juxtaposition with the corresponding edges of the other half, said juxtaposed marginal edges of the fabric sheet being. secured together forming a package, and quick removable means about said marginal edges for opening said package.

5. A quick applicable colostomy dressing consisting of a wet medicament pad backed by a multi-layer cellulose wadding, a sheet of water repellent fabric in'juxtaposition with that face of wadding opposite the wet pad, said fabric sheet having an extended marginal edge peripherally about the wadding, said dressing being folded in half upon itself to bring the extended marginal edges on one half of the fabric sheet in juxtaposition with the corresponding edges of the other half, and said juxtaposed marginal edges of the fabric sheet being secured together by a quick removable threaded stitch.

6. A quick applicable dressing consisting of a medicament pad, a sheet of Water repellent material superimposed on said medicament pad and having an extended marginal edge peripherally thereabout, said pad and superimposed sheet being folded in half upon themselves to bring the extended marginal edges on one-half of the repellent material in juxtaposition with the corresponding marginal edges of the other half, said juxtaposed marginal edges of the repellentmaterial being secured together forming a sealed package, and quick removable means about said marginal edges for opening said package.

. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,764,976 Skiles et a1 Oct. 2, 1956 

